'Rules of Engagement' back with solid ratings for CBS

Rules of Engagement's first episode of 2012 was a success in the ratings last night, preliminary Nielsen data indicates.

Returning from a four-month hiatus, the Patrick Warburton sitcom pulled in 8.8m (2.8) for CBS at 8.30pm, despite a lower-than-usual lead-in from The Big Bang Theory, which dipped to a season low of 13.6m (4.5).

Jim Caviezel's Person of Interest followed with 14.4m (3.3), after which The Mentalist logged 13.5m (2.7) at 10pm.

American Idol anchored Fox's primetime-winning schedule with 15.3m (2.7), then Touch fell to 9.1m (2.8) in the 9pm hour.

Elsewhere, Community (3.6m/1.7) and 30 Rock (3.2m/1.5) both held solid audiences for NBC, but following a modest audience for an Office (2.6m/1.2) repeat at 9pm, Up All Night (2.9m/1.3) and Awake (3.1m/1.0) both fell to lows.